Soundtrack Suggestion: American Beauty - Thomas Newman

American Beauty
by Thomas Newman

Way back in 1999, a movie called American Beauty hit the theaters.  The Sam Mendes film was written by Alan Ball (True Blood and Six Feet Under) and stars Kevin Spacey as Lester Burhman, a man who falls for his teenage daughter's best friend.  The film explored the dark secrets of middle class America and mixes comedy with artistically presented dramatic moments.

The moment I saw the film, I realized the score was so wonderful that it could be used to great effect in role-playing games.  The soundtrack has 19 songs in it, and clocks at around 35 minutes long.

Dead Already (Track 01) opens with a play on percussions, building with a single tone that slowly grows in harmony, strings and beats.  The track nicely can be used to introduce any non-combat or tense scene.    Arose (Track 02) then shifts to an almost ethereal and curious mood, with tubular chimes dancing around the scene.  The Power of Denial (Track 03) feels almost dangerous and threatening.  There's a distinct feel of "something not right" without dipping fully into full danger mode.  The occasional rattle helps give an added push on something dangerous lurking in the fringes.  Lunch with the King (Track 04) is a piece that moves forward with confidence and clear direction.  There is a slight shift at the 50 second mark, almost suggesting a moment of rest, but the piece does not relent and keeps at the steady pace of someone in motion.  Mental Boy (Track 05) takes a haunted feel, which some might even associate with how Silent Hill was approached, but then at the 40 second mark, turns introspective.  There's a sense of connection happening in the piece, slightly sad and yet slightly hopeful.


Mr. Smarty Pants (Track 06) plays like a good closing tune to a television episode.  There's a sense of resolution, if not clarity suggested in the harmonies.   Root Beer (Track 07) turns the world around, with a sense of fascination mixed with danger.  There's an undertone of seduction and risk inherent in the piece you'd find fun to use.  Be warned, however, the pace turns frenetic at the 50 second mark which can make it hard to use in some games.  American Beauty (Track 08) has the main leitmotif taking front and center with the piano nicely becoming the centerpiece to the whole track.   Powerful and moving, the piece can be used in happy, sad, or uncertain moods without needing much accompaniment.  I liked how this piece carries the scene well and being one that's 3 minutes long, you can get a lot of mileage with this even without repeating it.

Bloodless Freak (Track 09) carries the same life as Lunch with the King but has occasional shifts to almost suggest a montage of scenes.  A crafty storyteller can describe a different location with each musical shift, if he wanted to portray a visual montage that timed well with the tunes.  Choking the Bishop (Track 10) tiptoes into uncertainty and secrecy, with the use of almost ghostly percussions and the harsh entry of strings.  The track has multiple... moments of silence.. punctuated with an increasing pace and sense of urgency.  A tougher track to use in a game, but one which can be effective if you work it in advance.

Weirdest Home Videos (Track 11) has touches of synths to help support a calmer feel and mood.  The track might be good to use in scenes where some exposition is needed.  However, watch out for the mood shift at the 40 second mark which might throw you off.   After 1 minute, the track gains even more musical depth as additional instruments join in to build a growing harmony.   Structure and Discipline (Track 12) feels very heavy, even if it does not use low frequency harmonies in it.  There's a sense of seriousness inherent in the piece, and a lone horn at one point attempts to pull you deeper in.  The loneliness teased by the track grows almost foreboding at the 1 minute 30 second mark, but the incessant piano notes try to offer a glimmer of hope.

Spartanette (Track 13) is one of the signature tracks of the movie (as it brings the visuals of the woman with the roses - yes I'm still trying to leave some for the imagination- to ones mind.)  Again the track has a few silent pauses, and from each pause, the track returns more energetic and tense.  The track naturally leads to Angela Undress (Track 14) which takes back the leitmotif and gives it a more vulnerable touch.  The piano is accompanied by almost "ghostly" sounds that intermingle with what sound like crickets, only to blend away with strains of lonely strings.  A sad piece worth revisiting in a game.

Marine (Track 15) feels almost like the countdown music for a trivia game show and does engage the listener to feeling a sense of time mattering.  The clockwork pace of the song, with the added rattles, unsettles and makes one anticipate something bad is going to happen.  Walk Home (Track 16) brings in the usual harmonic yearning with an almost intrusive piano portion, almost like you have two harmonies desperately trying to merge but ending up... contrasting.  Chimes take center stage as the piece moves away from contemplative and approaches something that feels more final.  Blood Red (Track 17) is definitely a track that has the impression of a close.  The piece feels like its telling the listener the story is wrapping up, and the storyteller can capitalize on that to mood.  Any Other Name (Track 18) opens with an almost ghostly echo and brings in the leitmotif with a sad contemplative touch.  The 1 minute mark tries to offer hope, but the feeling is clear: we have reached the destination of the tale.  Somber.  Sad.  Whispering.  The track can offer hope, but mostly it hints that the best course of action is done and we are left with the repercussions.

And finally, Still Dead (Track 19) returns to the leitmotif with a nice strong presence.  The harmonies nicely wrap around the listener and bring the whole musical experience home, strings and clapping and all.

American Beauty OST track suggestions
WTF moment: Choking the Bishop (Track 10)
Introspective/calm moment: Dead Already (Track 01), Lunch with the King (Track 04),  Mr. Smarty Pants (Track 06), Bloodless Freak (Track 09), Weirdest Home Videos (Track 11) , Still Dead (Track 19)
Tense/mystery moment:  Arose (Track 02), The Power of Denial (Track 03), Root Beer (Track 07), Spartanette (Track 13), Marine (Track 15)
Combat: None
Hopeful moment: American Beauty (Track 08), Angela Undress (Track 14)
Drama/sad moment:  Mental Boy (Track 05),  Structure and Discipline (Track 12), Blood Red (Track 17), Any Other Name (Track 18)

Best Used In:  Introspective games with discussions on morality, virtues, values and perhaps even love.  Games set in the modern day will find great use to the tracks.  Medieval, Mystery and Horror games less so, but I can see these used in Science Fiction games to contrast the weirder moments.  Some might appreciate the use of the banjo and even find use of this for games set in the Serenity/Firefly universe.

Soundtrack Suggestion: Silent Hill 4

Silent Hill 4
by Akira Yamaoka
Vocals by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Joe Romersa

Silent Hill 4 had two discs, but only the first disc is covered in this review.  The second disc was an audio drama called "Inescapable Rain in Yoshiwara" and is not applicable for this review.  Fans of the Silent Hill series would definitely be aware of how different this soundtrack seems to be compared to the first three.  The presence of vocals in many songs is quite evident, and while this does not lessen the mood or atmosphere of the soundtrack per se, it does limit the usability of those tracks for one's games.

The soundtrack is composed of 22 tracks, with many of the tracks oddly actually not being present in the game itself.  The dark foreboding and oppressive atmosphere of the songs remains present and strong, retaining the distinct identity introduced in the first  few soundtracks of the Silent Hill brand.

The album opens with Tender Sugar (Track 01) which would have been a great piece for a game had it not had the excellent vocals by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn.  This same sad judgement call would have to apply as well to Cradel (sic) of Forest (Track 11), Your Rain (Track 15), Room of Angel (Track 21), and more so with Waiting for You (Track 22) which is a live performance (complete with audience applause and cheering).  As this is a review on the viability of the Soundtrack on being used in table top games, let's mark these tracks as non-usable this early save for those who are willing to risk having vocals disrupt the game.

Waverer (Track 02) opens with an engaging beat formed by the snare drum and cymbals, but then quickly shifts to a dissonant set of disturbing piano chords.  The total combination, however, nicely works to a spooky effect. Fortunate Sleep - No One Disturb Her Dead (Track 03) carries the same feel but utilizes syncopated beats and piano keys with an echoing effect giving the piece a nice haunting quality.  

Melancholy Requiem (Track 04) is a strong favorite of mine from this soundtrack, that combines haunting with an almost positive "You Can Do It" feel which is perfect for opening sequences in a game.  Admittedly, the Silent Hill 4 game uses this as the game's beginning song as well.  The song does have a sudden shift to an almost introspective feel near the end, but all in all it still works out nicely in a loop.   This track isn't as awesome as Drops of Shame (Track 06) however, which very delicately uses piano keys to contrast the base beat created by an almost industrial percussion.  Perfectly loopable and immersive. Silent Circus (Track 08) nicely bookends Melancholy Requiem, and can almost be used as good scene change track.  Not to dark,but not to happy either.

Confinement (Track 05) is a harsh guitar riff that makes me thing gang members.  It would do good for scenes of conflict though.  Resting Comfortably (Track 15) would have been pretty awesome to contrast Confinement had it been longer than 51 seconds.  It is, however, a wonderful piece to use for any moment of hope and light in an otherwise dark game. The Last Mariachi (Track 16) is deliciously disturbing, with a guitar focused motif that tries to create a harmony, yet gives the impression of something just not quite right.  A great atmospheric piece especially for unexpected moments.  Underground Dawn - Never Come (Track 18) seems undecided if its a background piece or if it is supposed to be a live performance.  It seems to be both, and thus wins a slot in the WTF area.  Fever Chill (Track 19) would be the elevator music version of that WTF moment. 

The Suicidal Clock Chime (Track 07) feels weaker than most tracks.  It was created to sound like the chimes of a distant bell, with the distortions almost making one thing it was tolling underwater.    Traversing the Portals of Reality (Track 09) feels very jarring given the rest of the soundtrack.  It isn't a bad piece, but it does feel a bit closer to a weird pulp movie.  Doesn't loop as well either.  Into the Depths of Self Discovery (Track 10) feel like the slow approach of a relentless threat.  The music builds in a careful pace that unsettles without distracting.   Not my favorite, though.

Nightmarish Waltz (Track 13) reminds me of how horror was approached back in the 80s, with a distinct harmony created with the synthesizer and a repeating motif in its approach.    In contrast, Pulsating Ambience (Track 14) is an excellent piece, with the synth nicely punctuated by a steady heart-beat of a percussion.  The occasional wah just adds to the piece nicely.  A nice nod towards a brighter moment in a sea of darkness.  Wounded Warsong (Track 17) ups the danger with a spiraling leitmotif that, if faster, would sound like an alarm siren.  The song is versatile enough to be a combat track if the gm wanted a battle that had a tactical feel.

Remodeling (Track 20) is a throwback to the industrial beats introduced in the very first Silent Hill soundtrack, but has hissing sounds that make me think of mechanical crickets.  The final result reminds me of those 1940s information videos.

Overall, the soundtrack has potential for many games, but what bothers me is how there aren't any tracks that work for sad, depressed, dramatic moments.  The music seems so caught up in sounding different and disturbing that I feel they lost a lot of opportunity for more emotive pieces.  But yes, it remains a worthy addition to one's soundtrack collection for game masters who want to push their games another step forward.

Silent Hill 4 OST track suggestions:WTF moment: The Last Mariachi (Track 16), Underground Dawn - Never Come (Track 18), Fever Chill (Track 19), Remodeling (Track 20)
Introspective/calm moment: Weaver (Track 02), Fortunate Sleep - No One Disturb Her Dead (Track 03), Melancholy Requiem (Track 04), Silent Circus (Track 08),  Traversing the Portals of Reality (Track 09)
Tense/mystery moment: Drops of Shame (Track 06), The Suicidal Clock Chime (Track 07),  Into the Depths of Self Discovery (Track 10)

Combat music: Confinement (Track 05), Wounded Warsong (Track 17)
Hopeful moment: Resting Comfortably (Track 15), Nightmarish Waltz (Track 13), Pulsating Ambience (Track 14)
Drama/sad moment:  None

Best Used In:  Dark games. Modern setting feels more necessary here, although I can imagine this being effective for post apocalyptic settings as well.  Not as flexible as Silent Hill 2 or Silent Hill 3, but definitely more flexibility than Silent Hill 1's soundtrack.

Soundtrack Suggestion: Millennium Limited Edition OST - Mark Snow [2 of 2]

 Millennium TV Limited Edition (2CD)
by Mark Snow
Part Two of Two

This is the second part of the Soundtrack Suggestion and review of Millennium Limited Edition soundtrack. You can find the first one here.

As mentioned in the first one, the soundtrack is composed of 51 tracks, split to two Discs (Disc one has 51 tracks and Disc two has 50) and runs a total of 148 :47 minutes. And the second disk opens with an extended rendition of the Main Theme.  Main Title (Disc 02, Track 01) gives us the 3:33 minute long version which just sounds wrong to me.  The vocal track Main Title - Vocal Remix (Disc 02, Track 25) remains hilarious.

Like before, the tracks are based on key episodes.

Midnight of the Century
Delete (Disc 02, Track 02) has an almost positive feeling in its tune.  But this feeling fades quickly into an almost ethereal haunting song.    Branches/Angels (Disc 02, Track 03) in contrast sounds more grounded at the onset, but shifts to chimes and voices that resound an almost innocent motif.  By the 40-second mark the two give way to synths that give a feeling of yearning and sadness.  But then at the 2:30 mark, the music completely shifts to a more sinister haunting song suggesting a larger scheme at work.

Owls
Damascus (Disc 02, Track 04) opens with what sounds like strings and carries itself with a middle-eastern feel.  At the 1:50 mark, the song shifts gears to chimes and lots of metallic banging which swirls into a dizzying spiral of discordant harmonies.  At 3:00, the song is replaced by an almost imposing thematic motif you'd expect when the Hollywood bad guy is revealed, and then spirals back at 3:40 into a more religious sounding experience.   The Subject (Disc 02, Track 05)  shifts gears and uses the main theme's leitmotif as its introduction.  Hopeful and inspiring, the track tries to give a positive slant to the mood, but at 2:50 that hope might need a bit more help from outside sources.    Aerotech (Disc 02, Track 06) is a dark lumbering piece that just seems to lose hope.

Roosters
Trail (Disc 02, Track 07) is a struggling piece that wants to rise up but seems weighed down by a looming threat.

Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me
Alarm (Disc 02, Track 08) opens with a vicious sequence of strings but suddenly catches you off guard at 44 seconds into an almost comical carnival-esque tune.  This would have sounded odd and pointless before, but ever since America McGee's Alice and Silent Hill made carnivals wonderful horror venues, the track works.
X-Fyles (Disc 02, Track 09) is a wacky parody of the X-Files theme.  The carnival leitmotif returns here for a few bars, then ends with another X-Files parody theme.  Overall, its a perfect piece if you were to ever spoof the X-files in your game.  Sympathy of the... (Disc 02, Track 10) is the climactic track for this batch, with an almost noir introduction that shifts to the carnival leitmotif.   Here, the whole piece comes together with a closing moment that blends the show's main theme with the carnival touch.

The Time Is Now
Hot Birds (Disc 02, Track 11) is a lukewarm piece that barely shifts in mood (unlike most of the tracks in the album).  As most pieces, this offers a tiny light of hope but offers it with some level of calm that the others did not have.   The Peter Principle (Disc 02, Track 12) tries to carry the same mood of the first, but in a more embodied way with piano keys carrying the harmony and strings whimpering the main themes of the batch. But I feel the track loses itself in the 1:08 minute mark when the mood shifts to a percussion-lead piece which embraces a sense of foreboding danger.  I feel the two could have been two separate loopable pieces.
Catherine (Disc 02, Track 13) tries to offer a sense of completion to the batch, with the main themes being carefully drawn out.

Closure
Silence is Golden (Disc 02, Track 14) begins with a solo piano echoing in the silence but is then overshadowed by looming danger.  The track continues with a dark foreboding threat, but kind of gets too campy in its execution.  Candy (Disc 02, Track 15) is a darker play on themes which I was enjoying until it hit the two-minute mark and decided to remind us all of what 90s tv music sounded like, which is really sad since the latter part of the soundtrack (3:20 minute mark) the song gets hauntingly cool in ways I which the whole track was instead.

Omerta
Santos Elves (Disc 02, Track 16) opens with a dreamy Christmasy feel of lightness and joy.  The song goes all the nine yards with a woman vocalizing at some point that you'd imagine snow-capped mountains and dancing angels.  Unwrapped Gift (Disc 02, Track 17) opens with a sense of normalcy and carries it all throughout the track.  It ends with a series of chimes which you almost fear will go badly... but doesn't.
Love Jordan / Hobbit House (Disc 02, Track 18) has the vocalization return and take center stage.  This time even a male voice joins the vocalization.  While still hopeful like the first two, the constant vocalization pushes this track to the WTF level.
The Way It Was (Disc 02, Track 19) sounds like something you'd hear from those guys selling those magic flute thingies - a kareoke version of some song - til the vocalizations return.  And suddenly its like some second coming gone bad.

Goodbye To All That
Shrapnel (Disc 02, Track 20) is a return to the darkness and foreboding atmosphere of the show.  The piece maintains a pulse-steady beat until it shifts to an almost silent piece with nothing but the synthesized piano leading the new theme into focus.
Channel 14 (Disc 02, Track 21) maintains the dark and abysmal mood that was started by Shrapnel.  The track is definitely heavier, with at point having a repeating high pitched whine reminiscent of the infamous Psycho screeching.
Locked Out (Disc 02, Track 22) is like a farewell piece to the first two.  Sad. Dark.  Succumbing.
Drilling (Disc 02, Track 23) opens with a sense of tragic panic, but then quickly slides into a state of defeat.  The music laments.  It makes you feel that you've failed.  It makes you feel that you've... 3:00 mark and suddenly the piano kicks in and there's hope.  There's a light at the end of the tunnel. This track is wicked.
End Title (Disc 02, Track 24) once again returns to the show's main theme as a book end close to the soundtrack.  It feels like a cheat though, to realize this appears far too many times in the album.

Overall, the soundtrack is a very difficult one to use in games, but for games where heaviness is vital to the mood this one works nicely.  I found it amusing how the second disc had so many WTF tracks in it.  But then again, this was a service to the fans, so I understand why they'd make sure to throw in the funny moments in there.

Definitely not a soundtrack for beginning game masters who want to try using music to support their games.

Millennium OST track suggestions:
WTF moment: Main Title (Disc 02, Track 01), Main Title - Vocal Remix (Disc 02, Track 25), Alarm (Disc 02, Track 08), X-Fyles (Disc 02, Track 09), Sympathy of the... (Disc 02, Track 10), Love Jordan / Hobbit House (Disc 02, Track 18), The Way It Was (Disc 02, Track 19)
Introspective/calm moment: Hot Birds (Disc 02, Track 11), Catherine (Disc 02, Track 13), Santos Elves (Disc 02, Track 16), Unwrapped Gift (Disc 02, Track 17)
Tense/mystery moment: Damascus (Disc 02, Track 04), The Peter Principle (Disc 02, Track 12), Silence is Golden (Disc 02, Track 14), Candy (Disc 02, Track 15), Shrapnel (Disc 02, Track 20), Channel 14 (Disc 02, Track 21)

Combat music: None
Hopeful moment: Delete (Disc 02, Track 02), The Subject (Disc 02, Track 05)
Drama/sad moment: Branches/Angels (Disc 02, Track 03), Aerotech (Disc 02, Track 06), Trail (Disc 02, Track 07), Locked Out (Disc 02, Track 22), Drilling (Disc 02, Track 23), End Title (Disc 02, Track 24)  

Best Used In: Dark, depressing, heavy games like Tremulus or Kult.  Can still be used in games were horror is an added feature such as Night's Black Agents and Monster Hearts, but the music seems more suited in games where the players don't seem to have much hope.  

Soundtrack Suggestion: Millennium Limited Edition OST - Mark Snow [1 of 2]

Millennium TV Limited Edition (2CD)

by Mark Snow
Part One of Two

This is part one of the Soundtrack Suggestion and review of Millennium Limited Edition soundtrack.  I'm a huge fan of this show.  I loved this show far more than X-Files and other similar shows.  There was something about the slow burn approach to narrative which this show excelled in which really sparked my interest.  Wonderfully, the soundtrack is just as awesome.

The soundtrack is composed of 51 tracks, split to two Discs (Disc one has 51 tracks and Disc two has 50) and runs a total of 148 :47 minutes.  I can't help but wonder if the guys behind the soundtrack snuck in some undiscovered Easter Egg given that duration is split to 74:27 and 74:20 minutes respectively.  Seems too much of a coincidence if you ask me.

This is the first of two Soundtrack Suggestion posts.  Given the size of the album, I will need to break the review into two parts.

Fans of the show will be delighted to hear the show's main theme in this soundtrack.  Main Title (Disc 01, Track 01) gives us the fifty-two second version which was used to open the show.  Main Title (Disc 02, Track 02) gives us the 3:33 minute long synth version which I suspect was Mark Snow's initial version of the track.  Main Title - Vocal Remix (Disc 02, Track 25) is clearly the crew having fun as they vocally (and explicitly) describe the show using the opening theme.  It was a cute addition, admittedly.  I admit I liked the short version more than the full version.

The first three songs are from the Pilot of the show.
Big Yellow House (Disc 01, Track 02) is almost two minutes of hopeful sad music.  Rain (Disc 01, Track 03)  and Exterminated (Disc 01, Track 04) continue the heavy mood the show is pretty much known for.

Blood Relatives
Mourners/Dragged In (Disc 01, Track 05) has a nursery rhyme feel of innocence to it, but one which never feels absolutely safe.  There's always a hint of danger lurking in the shadows.

The Well Worn Lock
Lock (Disc 01, Track 06) and Lock, Part Two (Disc 01, Track 07) have an almost uplifting feel to the tunes.  But while the synths are more pronounced in Lock, the music takes a more traditional string approach in Part Two, and gives the listener a sense of safety and security.

The Wild and the Innocent
Death Prayer (Disc 01, Track 08) sounds almost uplifting and religious, which seems a contrast given the show until you realize how much of the show was shrouded by religious cult activity.  The song hits a high mark at 1:50 and slips into a faster beat suggesting a more progressive direction in the narrative.

Marantha

Chernobyl (Disc 01, Track 09) opens with heavy tunes and an almost oppressive presence that builds to a tense march.   Yaponchik (Disc 01, Track 10) kicks things up a notch with a heart-pounding action beat accompanied by chanting voices.  Myth No More-Antichrist (Disc 01, Track 11) swirls back down to a heavy feeling of failure.  Savior (Disc 01, Track 12) moves from dark and heavy into a scream of voices that abruptly cuts on the 5:30 mark and shifts back to a thematic touch.

Paper Dove
Crushed Dove (Disc 01, Track 13) has an almost easy-going feel to its beat.  Keen eared listeners who are fans of the show will realize the track re-purposes the main theme.

The Beginning and the End
Headlights (Disc 01, Track 14) has an almost ethereal quality to the tunes, but twists this to a disturbing medley come the two minute mark.  Check/Get it Back Again (Disc 01, Track 15) once again re-purposes the main theme and throws in an almost uplifting feel.  The track works well as a "recover and regain strength" type of track.

Monster
Henny Penny (Disc 01, Track 16) once again embraces the harmonic touches of a nursery rhyme and even uses the dizzying touch of a xylophone for great disturbing effect.  M-Files/Little Pigs (Disc 01, Track 17) is more introspective and quiet, with sweeping tunes and soft circles.  But at the latter part, switches back to the disturbing tunes started by Henny Penny.

The Curse of Frank Black

Jack O' Lantern (Disc 01, Track 18) is a damn good track, especially for fans of the show.  This episode was the ground breaking one which explored more about what Frank might be going through without realizing it.  And as far as soundtracks go, the themes here are almost old-school horror approaches with blending harmonies and voices.   Battery (Disc 01, Track 19) explores this approach even more with an almost Tim Burton-esque approach to the tunes.  A lone descent of musical notes marks this piece before slipping back into familiar horror tropes (including the sudden hit for a shock moment).  Acts (Disc 01, Track 20) opens with the screeching horror sound we've grown accustomed to, but then shifts to an almost music box touch that reminds us that perhaps not all things to be feared are horrifying.  The wind instruments wonderfully wrap around the harmonies and remind us that the fear can be faced.  And finally, at 790 Days (Disc 01, Track 21) we once more dive into the uncertainty of horror and the ever disturbing xylophone touches.  But this time, the track ends with a dive back to familiarity sort of like how horror shows would close with a voice over back during the 70s.

The Hand of Saint Sebastian

Comatose/Origins/Woods (Disc 01, Track 22) definitely embraces the religious topics the show explored with vocal chanting, chimes and incessant percussion but the track however comes to an all too abrupt end.

Jose Chung's Doomsday Defense 

The Writer (Disc 01, Track 23) opens with an almost jazzy beat.  The piano dances around with enthusiam and fun.   Goopy (Disc 01, Track 24)  opens the next track with an almost zen like quality with chimes and metallic feedback sprinkled generously around the track.      Final Chapter (Disc 01, Track 25) sounds somber and heavy and re-explores The Writer with a slower and heavier touch.     And finally, End Title  (Disc 01, Track 26) returns the show's key theme to the forefront.

Millennium OST track suggestions:
WTF moment: Main Title - Vocal Remix (Disc 02, Track 25), Savior (Disc 01, Track 12), Henny Penny (Disc 01, Track 16), M-Files/Little Pigs (Disc 01, Track 17), Comatose/Origins/Woods (Disc 01, Track 22), The Writer (Disc 01, Track 23)              

Introspective/calm moment: Lock (Disc 01, Track 06), Lock, Part Two (Disc 01, Track 07) , Death Prayer (Disc 01, Track 08), Crushed Dove (Disc 01, Track 13), Headlights (Disc 01, Track 14), Goopy (Disc 01, Track 24)    

Tense/mystery moment: Mourners/Dragged in (Disc 01, Track 05) , Chernobyl (Disc 01, Track 09), Jack O' Lantern (Disc 01, Track 18), Battery (Disc 01, Track 19)         

Combat music: Yaponchik (Disc 01, Track 10)
Hopeful moment:  Main Title (Disc 01, Track 01) ,  Main Title (Disc 02, Track 02), Check/Get it Back Again (Disc 01, Track 15), Acts (Disc 01, Track 20)     

Drama/sad moment: Big Yellow House (Disc 01, Track 02),   Rain (Disc 01, Track 03), Exterminated (Disc 01, Track 04), Myth No More-AntiChrist (Disc 01, Track 11), 790 Days  (Disc 01, Track 21), End Title  (Disc 01, Track 26)    

Best Used In: Modern horror and dark tales of cruelty, corruption and evil.  Games like Call of Cthulhu, Night's Black Agents, or even Monster of the Week would benefit from this soundtrack.    As would magic realism games such as Changeling the Lost, Shadowrun and perhaps even Kult.

Soundtrack Suggestion: Argo - Alexandre Desplat

Argo
by Alexandre Desplat

I wasn't expecting much from this movie when I first heard about it, given the director was going to be Ben Affleck.  Now at the time of this article's writing, the buzz online is all about how much it sucks that he's going to be Batman in the coming Superman movie, but I'll ignore that for now and focus on the fact that Ben Affleck did surprise a lot of people by coming up with a very well crafted movie.  Argo excites!  Argo embraces tension!  Argo has drama and comedy and yet never confuses what it wants to do.

And deliciously, so does the soundtrack to the movie which was done by Alexadre Desplat.  Some of you might recognize his name but most will appreciate his body of work, which includes uncredit work in The Twilight Saga soundtracks,  the Moonrise Kingdom soundtrack and the scores of movies such as The Queen and Coco Before Chanel.

The soundtrack is composed of 17 tracks and runs a total of 58:38 minutes long.  The soundtrack is a mix of traditional Middle Eastern motifs with a nice blend of orchestral cores.    The soundtrack has a mix of pulse-building sequences and calmer atmospheric hues which can nicely fit many games, so long as the Persian touch is welcome.

Argo (Track 01) opens with an evocative mood that brings to mind a mysterious desert landscape, and this thematic thumbprint becomes a foundation for the many later tracks that follow.  A Spy in Tehran (Track 02) quickly carries the pace forward, adding more action to the emotional yearning of the opening song.  Scent of Death (Track 03) opens with a repeating synthesized voice, and the recognizable wailing female voice that marks typical Middle Eastern soundscapes.  The Mission (Track 04) shifts gears and slides back into the more familiar patriotic hues of any Hollywood production.  The signature swells and rising uplifting tides are here. Hotel Messages (Track 05) opens with a vocal play which reminded me of performances of groups like STOMP, but then nicely blend back into the leitmotif which the first track created.  The end result is a nice exotic tunnel which works very well.  Held Up By Guards (Track 06) opens with a base groan and a solo piano, which sounds bleak and cautious, lending an uncertain feel on whether or not one is safe or in trouble.  But as the piano gives way to more traditional Persian instruments, the song gains traction and clearer identity.

The Business Card (Track 07) and  Tony Grills the Six (Track 09) opens with a clear play on tension and danger.  The songs could actually slip into the Battlestar Galactica soundtrack and they would still work.  Breaking Through the Gates (Track 08) sort of slips into a more expected action-sequence punch with vibrant touches mingling with almost bazaar like energy which reminds me of movies like Bourne Identity but the way vocal touches are mixed in to the song gives it unexpected layers that make it stand out in a very good way. The Six are Missing (Track 10) and Sweatshop (Track 11) are easily my favorite tracks as they very effectively blends the vocal stylings with music for a cathartic and almost haunting atmosphere.  

Drive to the Airport (Track 12) starts with a punchy pace, then at the 1:30 mark, almost gives a sense of calm, before diving headlong back into tense waters til it hits another lull at the 2:40 mark, and finally one final swell before the calm of the 3:15 mark.  The track overall carries a sense of hope.   Missing Home (Track 13) opens soft and introspective but the shift to active at 1:40 seems a tad jarring, which kind of goes in opposition with the rest of the soundtrack.  Having seen the movie, however, I totally get how this track works.  I'm not much of a fan of Istanbul (The Blue Mosque) (Track 14) since I feel it seems less well-thought out in its use of voices and the mix feels a tad more closer to a slight cacophony than a well-composed piece for me.  When the strings enter at 1:20, I feel the piece gets even more lost in what mood it wants to convey.  It feels almost like a Western attempt to define the soundscape of a Middle Eastern idea.  Worst of all, it ends oddly.  Feels very unfinished.   In contrast, Bazaar (Track 15) is a deep blend of harmonies that almost bring one to envision a religious experience and  Cleared Iranian Airspace (Track 16) never lets up with the rising tide of hope and danger.  Both feel very carefully crafted (some would say almost manipulatively so) to accomplish specific results.  The soundtrack ends with Hace Tuto Guagua (track 17) by Familion as a hummed melody which reminds us of the fragility of life, the enduring power of hope and the strength that comes from courage within.

Argo OST track suggestions:

WTF moment: None
Introspective/calm moment: Argo (Track 01),  Tony Grills the Six (Track 09), Istanbul (The Blue Mosque) (Track 14)
Tense/mystery moment: A Spy In Tehran (Track 02), Scent of Death (Track 03), Hotel Messages (Track 05), Held Up By Guards (Track 06), The Business Card (Track 07)
Combat music: Breaking Through the Gates (Track 08)
Hopeful moment: The Mission (Track 04), Drive to the Airport (Track 12), Hace Tuto Guagua (track 17)
Drama/sad moment: The Six are Missing (Track 10), Sweatshop (Track 11),  Missing Home (Track 13), Cleared Iranian Airspace (Track 16)

Best Used In: You will note how many tracks in the album are for tense scenes so games with such moments are perfect.  I can imagine this soundtrack working for games like Night's Black Angels or multicultural games like Aeon Trinity.  I've also used the soundtrack wonderfully to score a few sessions of the board game Pandemic.  Mileage may vary, however, depending on how broad a soundscape you want to explore.

Soundtrack Suggestion: The Last of Us - Gustavo Santaolalla

The Last of Us
Composed by Gustavo Santaolalla

The Last of Us is one of those Playstation 3 games that just makes you stop for a moment and appreciate how far we have gone in the video game industry in making games strike a much more powerful emotional resonance to the player.  And this magic, admittedly, is greatly in part due to a very effective score.   For those who don't know the game, The Last of Us is an action-survival horror game by Naughty Dog (creators of the Uncharted franchise) which has been gaining a lot of raves in the video gaming industry.   It is the story of Joel, a man who is escorting a young girl named Ellie across a post-apocalyptic United States of  America.  The two face many dangers in their journey, especially from zombie-like things that have been infected with a fungus.    While many games out there might appreciate going guns-blazing into a combat scene, this game rewards careful use of stealth, strategy, and gumption.

And boy, does the game have a very GENEROUS soundtrack to explore.  Gustavo Santaolalla has created a world of sound that immerses you deep in a world of danger and does not relent until all fifty-five minutes have passed.  Given how he was the man behind the masterful score of Brokeback Mountain and Babel (both of which won Academy Awards), there is no doubting that this soundtrack was one worth checking out.

The soundtrack clearly focuses on the Guitar as the main musical presence in each track.  The Quarantine Zone (Track 01) opens with an almost mellow tune, but shifts to something more menacing at the two minute mark.  The strings begin to squeal and almost snarl with a dangerous touch, reminding you that things are not all well and safe where you are.  The Last of Us (Track 03) is a powerful evocative piece that works very well as a key leitmotif for games.  The song has a hopeful edge amidst its dark and dreary aural landscape without turning into an overpowering western theme.  Even the percussion instruments in the song are subtle enough to just add enough meat to the music without turning all "Holywood".  Forgotten Memories (Track 04) and The Outbreak (Track 05) can easily be used in a variety of games where a sad yearning exists.    Both carry a heavy emotional burden yet are generic enough to work in a variety of genres.   Smugglers (Track 12) sounds nicely active without being stereotypical, almost giving me images of an active montage as the characters prepare for an attack or something like that.  It even has nice peaks in the audio that trick the player into thinking the fighting/action moment has started, then shifts back to the beat.

Interestingly, The Hunters (Track 07), By Any Means (Track 10), and Infected (Track 17) which are clearly tense-moment tracks sounded less intense than I expected.    Even the track entitled, I Know What You Are (Track 15) which is mostly just a massive growing pounding of drums, seems... weak.  Have I just been spoiled too much by the audio overload from Silent Hill scores?  I guess I was expecting more in an age of performances like STOMP and the like.

The Last of Us (A New Dawn) (Track 19) is a tricky bastard.  It opens nicely thematic and solemn, but shifts by the one minute mark into a more aggressive pounding beat.  Its a great track, but one some GMs might find tricky to use in a game.  The Path (Track 22) sounds like a piece that would very easily slip into the Silent Hill soundtrack.  It even ends with a haunting touch.

The Last of Us track suggestions:
WTF moment: Smugglers (Track 12), The Last of Us (A New Dawn) (Track 19)
Tense/mystery moment: The Hunters (Track 07), By Any Means (Track 10), Blackout (Track 24), Breathless (Track 26), All Gone (The Outside) (Track 28)
Combat music: I Know What You Are (Track 15), Infected (Track 17)
Hopeful moment: The Quarantine Zone (Track 01), The Hour (Track 02), The Last of Us (Track 03), Vanishing Grace (Innocence) (Track 09), The Last of Us (Goodnight) (Track 14), The Path (Track 22), All Gone (Alone) (Track 23), The Way It Was (Track 25), The Last of Us (You and Me) (Track 27), The Path (A New Beginning) (Track 29)
Drama/sad moment: Forgotten Memories (Track 04), The Outbreak (Track 05), Vanishing Grace (Track 06), All Gone (Track 08), The Choice (Track 11), The Last of Us (Never Again) (Track 13), Home (Track 16), All Gone (Aftermath) (Track 18), All Gone (No Escape) (Track 20), Vanishing Grace (Childhood) (Track 21), Returning (Track 30)

Overall, I like the soundtrack.  It offers a lot of options and can be used with many games.  I hate how most of the tracks are named the same, making it harder to recall which ones you want to use.  I feel slightly underwhelmed with how the fear and panic was approached in the soundtrack, given the game has a zombie + survivalist vibe to it.  I had wished the panic and fear were translated into the music just as well as they were in the game.

Best Used In: An easy target for this is games like Apocalypse World and games with a western touch such as Serenity, Deadlands (or the upcoming Margaret Weis Firefly rpg), but I can see these soundtracks working as well for other games that have a heavy emotional thrust to the narrative.

Soundtrack Suggestion: Pacific Rim - Ramin Djawadi

Pacific Rim
by Ramin Djawadi

My partner and I just caught the incredible kaiju+robot movie, Pacific Rim, and we definitely enjoyed Guillermo del Toro's latest flick.   If you guys have a chance to catch it, I highly recommend you do so immediately!  Now, the movie was such an engaging experience thanks also to the soundtrack, which was crafted by Ramin Djawadi, whose work might sound familiar to many of you guys (Game of Thrones, Persons of Interest, System Shock 2 and Medal of Honor).

The soundtrack is composed of 25 tracks and runs a total of 58 minutes long.  The tracks are a great mix of pounding rock music and thematic tunes.  Pacific Rim (Track 01) opens with the energy of an action sequence.  Electronic guitars meld nicely with keyboard synths and a battle-ready drum beat.  I can very easily imagine the track even being used as a credits roll track and some of you might even easily visualize the ending credits of movies like Iron Man upon hearing this track.  Gipsy Danger (Track 02) continues the energetic beat and has some synthesizer moments that plug in a nice heroic theme into the tunes.  Cancelling the Apocalypse (Track 03) shifts gears by ditching the drums for a nice gentle blend between guitar strings and the synthesized keys.  It shifts in mood at two minutes and thirty seconds to a more hopeful and uplifting beat with drums carrying the tune to a more glorious moment.  Just a Memory (Track 04) pulls in the strings to build up the tension and worry.  The tense landscape surrounds you and tightens into a dangerous spiral that is accompanied by a threatening horn section.  2500 Tons of Awesome (Track 05) embraces the use of horns to embody the massiveness of the elements in the scene.  The piece is slower in beat than the main song, but maintains a tense stomping rhythm.  The Shatterdome (Track 06) then brings back the heroic themes introduced in the first few tracks, but overlays a constant tense rhythm.  There's no doubting the danger is growing in this piece.  Chanting Russian voices are added to give the piece an atmosphere of grandeur.   Mako (Track 07) shifts to letting a female vocal lead the piece.  The track is ethereal and soft, but never too gentle.  The song reminds you of a great burden being carried in the scene.   Call Me Newt (Track 08) has an almost easy-going attitude to the piece, almost reminiscent of Billy Joel songs and the like, but at 45 seconds the song shifts into a song that combines hints of the Russian chanting to a more determined motif.  Jaeger Tech (Track 09) carries the dramatic feel of a heroic piece (enough to probably test some speakers out there) and the way it uses the electric guitar is sure to make some smile.  But the suddenly shift at the 1:30 mark might put some people off, given it completely changes the feel of the piece.  To Fight Monsters, We Created monsters (Track 10) combines pounding percussions with a danger-filled blending of leitmotifs.  Oddly, the final result is an uplifting hopeful piece that reminds the listener that there still exists hope.

 Better Than New (Track 11) sounds forlorn and seems to reminisce about better days.    But no, we don't stay there long as We Are the Resistance (Track 12) returns the constant tense beat to the music.  The chanting slides effortlessly in, almost suggesting how important and powerful teamwork is in getting the job done.  But at the same time, the song never removes the feeling that danger is ever present and one wrong move can mean death.  Double Event (Track 13) and boy the tension does not drop as the next track ups the ante with string swells and almost marching chants and pounding beats that suggest martial arts moves being thrown into the battle.    Given this is entitled Double Event, the song does not remain satisfied with the Asian chanting, but slides in the Russian Chants as well to counterpoint the piece before it ends.  It ends with a swell, though, which makes it less loopable than desired for games. Striker Eureka (Track 14) opens with a sense of tragedy and trouble.  Then bolts forward with the electric guitar growling as it blares the impending danger onto your face.  Category 5 (Track 16) and The Breach (Track 24) resonate with this mood as well.  Go Big or Go Extinct (Track 18) kind of tries too hard in this area, but if used alone can work pretty well.  The piece does however shift to a nice battle tune.  For My Family (Track 20) opens with heavy horns and the drum voice combination we've grown accustomed to which we've heard in many other movies.   But then, it catches you by surprise in the forty second mark by adding a rising string section that can be both tragic and heroic, depending on how you feel about the scene.  

Physical Compatibility (Track 15) opens with a playful touch of strings and what sound like gongs.  Drums interject on occasion here, and the piece starts reminding me of shows like Battlestar Galactica.  But interestingly, the song never slides too far away from the Pacific Rim leitmotifs.  Pentecost (Track 17) goes full synth and punctuates the song with a sense of tension that something is wrong.  Hannibal Chau (Track 19) surprisingly has a song that sounds far more tense than mysterious, and its not til the 48 second mark that the expected theme finally comes in.  The song might even remind some of the theme of the Turks in Final Fantasy 7.  

No Pulse (Track 21) sounds more battle-ready than its title suggests.  Kaiju Groupie (Track 22) brings in the tense-mystery feel that has long been absent in the soundtrack.  It feels almost like it would fit perfectly for a show like Grey's Anatomy or Monday Mornings.  Deep Beneath the Pacific (Track 23) and We Need a New Weapon (Track 25) makes no effort to hide it is a heroic moment in a horrific war.  The song shifts to highlight key scenes, seemingly too tied to planned scenes that this might make it a terribly difficult challenge to use in a game.  But thankfully, the 25th track ends faster instead of explores far too many themes, making it far more useful than the other one.

Pacific Rim OST track suggestions:
WTF moment: Deep Beneath the Pacific (Track 23)
Introspective/calm moment: Canceling the Apocalypse (Track 03), Call Me Newt (Track 08), To Fight Monsters, We Created monsters (Track 10)
Tense/mystery moment: Just a Memory (Track 04), 2500 Tons of Awesome (Track 05), The Shatterdome (Track 06),  Pentecost (Track 17),  Hannibal Chau (Track 19), Kaiju Groupie (Track 22)   

Combat music: Pacific Rim (Track 01), Gipsy Danger (Track 02), We Are the Resistance (Track 12),  Double Event (Track 13), Striker Eureka (Track 14), Category 5 (Track 16), Go Big or Go Extinct (Track 18) , No Pulse (Track 21) 

Hopeful moment:  Better Than New (Track 11), Physical Compatibility (Track 15)
Drama/sad moment: Mako (Track 07), Jaeger Tech (Track 09), For My Family (Track 20), We Need a New Weapon (Track 25)  

Best Used In: Big Fights! Heroic Moments!  Games with War!  Heck, I can see this soundtrack being just as useful with a science fiction war-torn post apocalyptic world and a medieval set-fantasy world torn by a world-encompassing wave of destruction.   Admittedly, some tracks might sound too modern than others, but overall, the soundtrack is flexible enough to work with many games.

Oh and for those who LOVED Pacific Rim?  I highly recommend John Wick's The Aegis Project rpg if you want to play a game that can easily capture the excitement and awesomeness of that movie.  Another game that also earns a nod is Bliss Stage.  Definitely great options to consider to capture the fun of beating up massive kaiju monsters.

Soundtrack Suggestion: The Host - Antonio Pinto

The Host
by Antonio Pinto

I am no fan of Stephanie Meyer.  And that's me saying it in the nicest way possible.  However, I am aware that many things can be sources of inspiration, even if the inspiration is born from a feeling of "I can explore that plot far better" and so I have never shied away from exploring things that don't normally interest me.

The Host is a "science fiction romance" story about an unseen threat which takes over bodies and mutes the memories of their hosts, with a heroine named Melanie who risks everything to protect the ones she loves.  In the end, love conquers all.  Given however my love for Saoirse Ronan, who was phenomenal in Hanna and Atonement, I may have to give the movie a chance however.  Thankfully, Antonio Pinto is another name I have encountered before.  His work on City of God was, at least for me, phenomenal in giving the movie an unexpected edge.  So yes, in the days following this post, I just might embrace the option of catching the movie.

Outer Space (Track 01) opens with a slow building electronic tempo, which mixes an ethereal feel with an almost rural touch.  At 1:20 mark, the mood shifts to a faster beat, hinting at a younger and rougher presence.  The track cuts away to silence, making it a lovely one to use to open a scene, but definitely not one to use in a repeating loop.  Soul Inside (Track 02) opens with an almost ghostly whisper, but then builds into a more prominent leitmotif.   Strings take a forefront in this song, giving a hopeful yearning feeling to the piece.  Wanderer (Track 03) is a hopeful song, but tremendously short.  I would have loved to hear this last a few minutes longer.  Inside Your Mind (Track 04) is a shifting blend of otherworldly harmonies you'd probably feel perfect for a montage of space imagery.   The music hints at something just beyond reach.  Something just beyond one's comprehension.  Soul Mates (Track 05) opens with a certain feel of innocence, and the use of guitar strings gives the piece a more down-to-Earth touch.  The ever present ethereal waves remind us this is still a science fiction piece.  Escape (Track 06) opens with a very quiet touch, and while the title suggests a move towards a more active motion, the track wanders in the same area.  It is only at the two-minute mark the music finally becomes more foreboding as expected of an escape, making the track a bit harder to use in a game.  Fading (Track 08) has a sad passionate feel to its tune, which transforms into otherworldly by the 40 second mark.  The track promised a nice somber feel but sadly sends far too quickly.

Mirror Mirror (Track 10) opens with a face-paced beat, almost suggesting a chase sequence or a thrilling moment.  There are some moments the sound dips into Matrix soundtrack levels, which may or may not be a good thing depending on what you were going for.  Glow (Track 11) returns to the otherworldly tune for a nicely mysterious touch.  The use of guitar strings almost reminds me of the videogame, Diablo.  Dying Soul (Track 13) has an almost melodramatic flair to it, which I personally didn't appreciate.  Kinda cheapened the emotional level of the tracks.  There's a touch of a groaning wind instrument in the background which sounds interesting though.  I'm Alive (Track 15) is evocative, with an almost dream-like touch in its harmonies.  River Fight (Track 17) gets the WTF slot below because for a fight scene track it does NOT sound like a tense-fight at all.  I dunno.  Maybe I should watch the movie.  Oddly, Healing (Track 20) sounds the most engaged and chaotic song in the whole soundtrack.  Soul Outside (Track 22) is a lovely piece.  But I realize I like it because it can so work to supplement a soundtrack to the Firefly show.  It has touches of sci-fi without forgetting the heart and soul of a story.  There's Radioactive (Track 27) which is a lyric track, so I will just ignore it for the purposes of this review.

My favorite in the whole soundtrack would have to be The Store (Track 26) which sounds like the love child of a 1960s elevator song with touches of a grainy instrumental score.  Full of character and just fun to listen to.  For this track alone, I would get the soundtrack to find games I can toss it in.

So that's 27 tracks for an hour and eight plus minutes of tunes, which can be used with a bit of patience and mapping out of scenes.  Most tracks are somber and lack the sudden shifts other soundtracks have, which may or may not be a good thing depending on how you like your scores to work in your games.

The Host OST track suggestions:

WTF moment: River Fight (Track 17), The Store (Track 26)
Introspective/calm moment: Outer Space (Track 01), Soul Inside (Track 02), Soul Mates (Track 05), Star Crossed (Track 18), One Strange World (Track 24)
Tense/mystery moment:  Inside Your Mind (Track 04), Escape (Track 06), Walk (07), Glow (Track 11), Home (Track 25)
Combat music: Mirror Mirror (Track 10), Catch Us (Track 14), Healing (Track 20)
Hopeful moment: Wanderer (Track 03), I'm Alive (Track 15), Trust Me (Track 19), Goodbye Wanderer (Track 23)
Drama/sad moment: Fading (08), Into The Cave (Track 09), Sun Inside (Track 12), Dying Soul (Track 13), Kiss Me If You Can (Track 16), Kill Me (Track 21), Soul Outside (Track 22)

Best Used In: Science Fiction games which still have a touch of romance, loss and humanitas.  This won't be useful for games inspired by Warhammer 40000 nor for games based on either the Star Wars or Star Trek franchise.   However, if you were running games like Firefly, the movie Strange Days, or perhaps with some effort, a Shadowrun campaign, this may work out for you.

Me, I just LOVED The Store (Track 26) so much given I can inject it to dystopian odd games like Lacuna, or games inspired by timeless settings like Bioshock.

Soundtrack Suggestion: Bram Stoker's Dracula - Wojciech Kilar

Bram Stoker's Dracula
by Wojciech Kilar

Among the many soundtracks that I own, I must confess that for a long time, this was one which I practically constantly used during my World of Darkness games and not just for Vampire the Masquerade nor Vampire the Dark Ages, mind you.

The soundtrack contains lots of interesting pieces which I found useful in my games.  While I will readily admit to it being very vampire-centric in the mood, given today's uhm... wider stance on what's considered an acceptable Vampire concept, I can see why this soundtrack might be seen as too cheesy or overly dramatic by others.  But for those who like giving their games a dash of the theatrics, they will find this a pleasant option to explore.  But if you feel vampires must equal rock and roll, then feel free to move on and read something else.

Dracula - The Beginning (Track 01) opens with an almost silent start, that grows slowly, meticulously, and relentlessly into a terrifying crescendo.  The main leitmotif of the Dracula theme establishes itself here, and by the third minute mark, unearths itself like the proverbial vampire itself.  Then it continues, indulging further in its leitmotif but this time exploring it with haunting voices and a terrible growing percussive beat of fear.  In some ways, the emotional charge reminds me of how the JAWS theme embedded itself into so many of us - later returns to this soundtrack will have your players remembering the dark moments when they first heard this surround them in a scene.   Vampire Hunters (Track 02) on the other hand is a second leitmotif, and this one focuses on creating a musical signature to show the forces that stand against the darkness.  This track embodied focus and determination and your players will feel their tensions rising out of adrenaline when this baby is played.  Oh and best of all, it is very loop friendly. Mina's Photo (Track 03) is a haunting melody that reminds one of a nursery rhyme.  It plays gentle and romantic, and hints of a love undiscovered.  But with Lucy's Party (Track 04) the rhyme shifts from sweet to dangerous and seductive, with hints of darker things to come.  The music becomes ethereal here, with chimes hinting at a predator in one's midst.  This truly is one of the most tense-building gentle tracks I have ever encountered which I've used to highlight any dream turns into a dark nightmare sort of scene.  The Storm (Track 06) opens with a soft few key notes, then screeches into a horrific moment of terror, before it pulls back the chimes of Lucy's Party and dives headlong into a dance with the Vampire Hunter's theme.  An amazingly intricate piece which works wonderfully well for a scene regardless if the player is the prey or the predator.  Voices chant alongside the hunter's theme, and horns blare out passionate pleas as the piece swells into a more vibrant and bloody tune.  When the haunting singing joins in at the two minute mark, you are definitely given an atmosphere of danger and trepidation.   A pity this track is hard to loop.  

Love Remembered (Track 07), Mina/Dracula (Track 11) and Love Eternal (Track 13) reminds us of the gentler side of things, with touches of romance and hope in a dark heavy melody that yearns for escape.  I have also used Track 06 before to highlight a scene of an exposed betrayal and it worked just as well.   Track 13 however does end with an almost spiritual feel.  And if you used any of the earlier leitmotifs, you SHOULD then let it flow into Ascension (Track 14) for the perfect finish.

Vulnerability and pain are key to knowing when this track works.   The Hunt Builds (Track 08) is easily the companion piece to the second track and a perfect partner to The Hunters Prelude (Track 09).   Their loop-friendliness is a huge reason this soundtrack has been very useful for me.     If you used these track, then the End Credits (Track 15) is a must.  It nicely wraps everything back together, with shifts perfect for a montage.

But if you want to break the monotony, The Green Mist (Track 10) and The Ring of Fire (Track 121) are samples of tracks which you definitely will cue for specific moments.  And Annie Lennox' Love Song For a Vampire (Track 16) is a personal favorite.  I just truly love her musical touch.

So that's sixteen tracks

Bram Stoker's Dracula OST track suggestions:
WTF moment: The Green Mist (Track 10), The Ring of Fire (Track 12),  Love Song For a Vampire (Track 16)
Introspective/calm moment: Mina/Dracula (Track 11)
Tense/mystery moment:  Dracula - The Beginning (Track 01), Lucy's Party (Track 04), The Storm (Track 06)
Combat music: Vampire Hunters (Track 02), The Hunt Builds (Track 08), The Hunters Prelude (Track 09)
Hopeful moment: Love Remembered (Track 07),  Love Eternal (Track 13), Ascension (Track 14)
Drama/sad moment: Mina's Photo (Track 03), The Brides (Track 05), End Credits (Track 15)

Best Used In: Games where love and violence meet.  Games where darkness is not always purely just destructive.  Games where even in the bloodiest of moments, one might find a reason to believe in love.

Soundtrack Suggestion: The Da Vinci Code - Hans Zimmer

The Da Vinci Code
by Hans Zimmer

I will not use this post to debate on its accuracies or fallacies and the like.  I will not use this to debate on whether the book or the movie is better.  This post is whether or not the soundtrack will work for games and that's what you're going to find inside here.  For those not familiar with the movie, or the book it is based in, feel free to google up the title.

The soundtrack is by the renowned Hans Zimmer, whose approach to music will always have a distinct approach to the swells and emotional rises.  In this case, the tracks have an ever present sense of mystery in them, with soft hints of other melodies dancing around a central theme - like secrets that wish to be uncovered.  The opening track, Dies Maercurii I Maritus (Track 01) opens with such a haunting touch that you will find yourself drawn in, and when the piano joins the theme come the 1:30 mark, you will definitely have a sense of an emotional weight being stroked within your heart.  Once near the three minute mark, the main melodic theme for DaVinci Code enters the tunes, hinting at a grander and more noble purpose behind the tragic design.  I have used this track to open very many games before.  The musical rise is just perfect for games, and yet not too familiar to the point players would hum along.  The explosive swell come 4:22 however might be too much for some groups, but I felt it was a perfect to reveal the key scene, character, or anchor of the story at that point.   Interestingly, the second track, L'Espirit des Gabriel, quickly embraces a darker tone.  And the building repetitive leitmotif at 1:15 is a great moment of tension that might test the quality of your speakers.  Fructus Gravis (Track 04) is a favorite of mine, with its sweeping melody and sublime touches of danger hidden in the fringes of the music.  The tone is hopeful and yet there's the understanding of dark clouds at the horizon.  It shifts abruptly to tense however at the 1:40 mark, which sadly limits the usefulness of the track, given at 2:10 it returns once again to its original feel.  Malleus Maleficarum (Track 06) is one of the more haunting works with voices mingling with the persistent strings and the passionate shifts that bring to mind suffering and pain.  Salvete Virgines (Track 07) is easily the best track in the soundtrack, composed of chanting voices that swirl and fade in and out amongst each other.  Interestingly, this track was one of those that was not present in the film.   If you're a fan of Carl Orff's O Fortuna, you will probably find this track as a useful one for your games.  Poisoned Chalice (Track 09) might remind some of you of the musical approach Hanz Zimmer used in a scene from Lord of the Rings, and admittedly, it is hard not to imagine this track as being one used to introduce a new ancient ruin to the scene. The sudden swell at 2:00 might feel disruptive for other groups, however.  By the tenth track, The Citrine Cross (Track 10), we shift back deep into the leitmotif of the soundtrack, with the heartbeat-like percussions  constantly there, reminding us to solve the crime before it is too late.  Voices enter the scene come the one minute mark reminding us that lives are at stake in the task we are undertaking.  And by the 1:40 mark, the rise gets more chaotic and tense that players might end up screaming at each other to get a scene done.  Sadly, the track shifts in mood at the 3:14 mark, suggesting a resolution to the tension has been achieved.  I really wish the music at this point onwards was simply a new track, allowing the tension to be nicely maintained for a few more minutes.

Rose of Arimathea (Track 11) is a strange monkey, because it literally is a continuation of the earlier track.  I mean, if you tried playing it by itself, it sounds like you chopped of something from the start of the track, which is sad.  The piece itself is haunting and dark, with a growing sense of foreboding that is sure to signal "danger" to your players even if you don't describe anything dangerous nearby.  But by the 1:20 mark, it suddenly cuts into something akin to Psycho's signature shrieking, only here it uses piano keys played in a repetitive sequence that meticulously gains more empathic weight with each new added instrument.  But then it cuts that away in exchange for a heavy church bell tolling in the silence.   At the three minute mark, the original leitmotif returns, only now it uses the bass chords for a more diabolic touch.  Halfway though, at four minutes, the mood AGAIN shifts, and becomes a haunting piano melody of longing and regret.  It maintains the leitmotif, which shows Hans Zimmer's expert hand in composing a good signature sound, but given this is all in a single track, I feel hard pressed to make this useful in a game.   But yes, the track does end in a happier note.  Finally, CheValiers de Sangreal (Track 13) is your key theme track, pulling out all stops to give life back to the opening track and injecting the hope and joy suggested by the 11th track.   I find it ironic that this would be the thirteenth track, and I have NO idea why the V would be capitalized in the title, but I do like how this track feels something has been achieved and I have used this track many times to end a game session or a one shot to give the players a sense of fulfillment and completion.

A wonderful purchase, but a difficult one to use in a game if your games tend to have long scenes.  The shifts of mood and swells can make some tracks a headache to embrace.  But given this fourteen track soundtrack has 68:03 minutes worth to swim through, I still feel that this is a useful soundtrack to add to your cache of tunes to add the needed dash of excitement, mystery and spiritual fear into your game.

DaVinci Code OST track suggestions:
WTF moment: Rose of Arimathea (Track 11)
Introspective/calm moment: Daniel's 9th Cipher (Track 08), Poisoned Chalice (Track 09)
Tense/mystery moment:  Dies Maercurii I Maritus (Track 01),  L'Espirit des Gabriel (Track 02), The Paschal Spiral (Track 03), The Citrine Cross (Track 10), Rose of Arimathea (Track 11)
Combat music: Beneath Alrischa (Track 12)
Hopeful moment: Ad Arcana (Track 05), Salvete Virgines (Track 07), Kyrie for the Magdalene (Track 14)
Drama/sad moment: Fructus Gravis (Track 04), Malleus Maleficarum (Track 06) , CheValiers de Sangreal (Track 13)

Best Used In: Dark games.  Mysterious games.  Games where hope may be fleeting.  Where secrets are meant to be uncovered.  Where threats may surround you without warning.  Wonderfully, setting and genre are not that tied in this soundtrack, but while I doubt this will prove useful for noir games, whether modern, medieval, post apocalyptic future or fantastic, such settings may have this soundtrack enrich the gaming experience.


Oh yeah, and HAPPY MOTHER's DAY!

Soundtrack Suggestion: Zero Dark Thirty - Alexandre Desplat

Zero Dark Thirty 
by Alexandre Desplat

I recall seeing this movie with my partner one weekend and at the very opening scene of the movie, I was riveted and telling myself, "I have to find this soundtrack!"  There's a lot to love about a soundtrack that opens with such an influential impact, and this soundtrack thankfully offers a lot of good game-friendly gems. The soundtrack was composed for the film about the elite team of intelligence and military operatives who devoted so much time of their lives in accomplishing one single goal:  to locate, and assassinate Osama bin Laden.  Now, while there may be varying opinions on whether or not such an action was appropriate, as well as whether or not making a movie about such an operation was appropriate, I'm not here to discuss those ideas and opinions.  I'm just here to say whether or not I feel the soundtrack to the movie is worth using in your games.

The soundtrack opens with Flight To Compound (Track 01) which embraces the dark subject matter with a foreboding constant beat.  Some mind find it reminiscent to how the Lord of the Rings score approached Helm's Deep, while others might feel the heavy bass almost dances around the idea of something oppressively vicious.  I personally felt it was a great piece to open a game session with, but that is more because I do enjoy having an ominous mood growing in the opening scenes of a game.  Drive to Embassy (Track 02) injects the initial Middle-Eastern vibe to the tracks, and the juxtaposition of the piano with the horns produces an ethereal touch that is wrapped in a hint of anxiety.  When Bombings (Track 03) opens, the mood immediately shifts from anxious to tragic, with what sounds like a rhaita, but I'm not quite certain.   This early into the soundtrack, however, I can already share how the individual pieces are wonderfully loop-friendly and not too tied into sudden shifts of mood and events the way other soundtracks are, making this a flexible score to add to one's games.  Monkeys (Track 05) carries the Middle-Eastern vibe once again, but feels a bit more modern than the earlier pieces.  The track does build to a heavy weight that suggests an unexpected revelation.  Northern Territories (Track 06) starts slow and mysterious, but does shift into a build of tension and action.  In some ways, this track captures the extreme moods of the whole soundtrack, and can act like a nice lietmotif.  Seals Take Off (Track 07) introduces a harsher new identity to the music as it adds what can only be called the leitmotif that shall now represent the military forces entering the scene.  There's an action-expected growth to the mood of the music, slightly heroic, slightly uncertain which can be a great piece for any scenes building towards war.  Violins mix with brass to create a very effective piece.  21 Days (Track 08) is your montage sequence track, which while repetitive works to its favor in creating a growing sense of impatience and anticipation.  I love how the track ends in a softer, silent note.  Dramatic rather than anti-climactic.  Dead End (Track 11) opens with despair and frustration, but as the music builds we return to a moment of hope and action.  This, however, is overshadowed easily by the approach of Maya On Plane (Track 12) which starts with a slow reflective mix of strings that slowly invites the piano to punctuate the track with hope and relief.  As you approach the two minute mark, the track transforms into an ethereal moment of satisfaction and joy, but it never leaves reality, and sinks back to the ground at the two-thirty five mark.  An excellent piece and definitely one of my favorites of the album.   Picket Lines (Track 15)  is the building tide of tension with strings plucked with a growing ferocity that one feels the presence of looming danger.  When the low bass notes hit, there's no denying the emotional need to feel like you need to prepare yourself for a threat.  The track reminds me of combination of Psycho's main theme, mixed with Jaws and Inception.  Truly remarkable without being overpowering.

The soundtrack as a whole is expertly crafted, and while some might be surprised to not find more combat-favoring moments in this soundtrack, there's no denying that this will find much use in many games out there. Clocking at around 53 minutes, this eighteen track soundtrack is worth a purchase.

Zero Dark Thirty OST track suggestions:
WTF moment: None
Introspective/calm moment: Drive to Embassy (Track 02), Balawi (Track 10), Dead End (Track 11), Maya On Plane (Track 12)
Tense/mystery moment: Flight to Compound (Track 01), Ammar (Track 04), Preparation for Attack (Track 09), Tracking Calls (Track 14), Towers (Track 16)
Combat music: Picket Lines (Track 15), Chopper (Track 17)
Hopeful moment: Seals Take Off (Track 07), 21 Days (Track 08), Area 51 (Track 13)
Drama/sad moment: Northern Territories (Track 06), Back to Base (Track 18)


Best Used In: Modern games and science-fiction games would probably benefit from this more than others.  While the music is evocative enough to work in other genres, the presence of electronic moments might turn off some groups.  But so long as the game is moody and dark, this soundtrack is sure to add a dash of tension into it.  The games need not even be military oriented, which surprised me how the soundtrack does not slip into what I call "American Military Uplifting Moments" which many Michael Bay movies tend to have.